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Rose’s Law gives you some idea of the super-exponential power quantum computers will offer.

A few years ago — for fun — I started to read about quantum computing and quantum information. At the time, I believed that a real quantum computer was decades away, especially since that was what most experts were saying.

But, that’s linear thinking — and technology does not often follow linear progressions. Technology increases exponentially. And it may increase super-exponentially, if the latest quantum discoveries continue to flow from research labs and companies, such as D-Wave.

D-Wave recently announced that Google has signed up as one of their quantum computer customers and Google and NASA are teaming up to develop a Quantum AI lab. In case you don’t realize the implications: that’s friggin’ huge.

Quantum information processes use qubits, which are a lot like the bits of information we’re familiar with in binary computing. But, where a binary bit can be in a 1 position or a 0 position, a qubit can be in a 0 position or in a 1 position or anything in between — at the same time. It’s called superposition. Qubits in superposition are capable of massive feats of calculation. And, the more qubits that researchers learn to entangle, the more powerful these computers will become. How powerful? According to How Stuff Works:

A 30-qubit quantum computer would equal the processing power of a conventional computer that could run at 10 teraflops (trillions of floating-point operations per second). Today’s typical desktop computers run at speeds measured in gigaflops (billions of floating-point operations per second).

That’s pretty powerful. However, most experts say that quantum computers are better for certain computations that classic computers don’t even come close to matching. Because of a quantum computer’s ability to detect observation and its ability to massively crunch numbers, QCs make near perfect devices for encryption and cryptography.

But, in my opinion, sending and receiving secret messages is just the start. We don’t even know the full implications. Just a scattering of headlines this week points to the weird behavior of quantum mechanics stretches our understanding of time and space. Photons that are entangled before they even exist? Making a quantum computer out of good old fashioned silicon? We also see quantum technology mentioned in far-future devices: teleportation, time travel, etc.

Right now we look at the quantum computing age and compare it to the last technological sea change, the internet or dotcom age. Sure, it will make spies happy, but what about us? But, the quantum age may be like nothing on the historic charts, even beyond the civilization-molding steps of discovering fire and agriculture. I look at it more like the discovery of language, instead of discovering how to symbolically talk about reality, though, this quantum language will allow us to actually talk to our reality (or realities).

Quantum computers are theoretical devices that manipulate quantum states — called qubits — to conduct operations that are way faster than normal computers.

For years, most folks made sure to bold and add quote marks to that “theoretical” part. For years, those who doubted quantum computers had plenty of room for dismissal–and plenty of company. Quantum computers just seemed to exist on paper.

But quantum computing just got real.

How do I know? Money talks.

The thing is, quantum bits — or qubits — can be easily disturbed. They’re not as hardy as their unexponential classical brethren, the lowly bit.

But when researchers do figure it out, those qubits can be mighty powerful, I used to tell these Doubting Quantumases. If you put one bit and one bit together, you get two bits. But if you but a qubit and a qubit together, you get 2(n). Because of superposition, the qubit can be a 1 and an 0 and pretty much anything in between. At the same time.

But that sounded weird.

So no one really believed this was possible.

And those people, if they’re not careful are going to be like the folks that told Henry Ford to get a horse and invested heavily in buggy whips.

Dwave, makers of what some believe is the first commercially available quantum computer, got some heavy hitting investors recently.

In a recent announcement, a company called Dwave detailed that certain quantum effects are behind its latest technological breakthrough. Without getting too technical, Dwave is trying to develop a quantum computer. A quantum computer uses the, frankly, spooky ability for a quantum bit, or qubit, to be in multiple position for computational processes. This superposition leads to staggering amounts of processing power.

For each qubit, the processing potential increases exponentially.

Dwave says they have mastered an annealing quantum processes, which isn’t quite complete quantum computing, but is close and results in much higher processing power.

So what would the increased computing power of Dwave’s or any quantum computer mean for traders and investors.

Quantum dots are essentially semiconductors that have an enormous control over electrons. This ability to control electrons just took a new dramatic leap forward when the National Institute of Nanotechnology at the University of Alberta announced that they created the smallest quantum dot.

Previously, quantum dots could only be used in low temperature settings; this new technology does not.

Often referred to as artificial atoms, quantum dots have previously ranged in size from 2-10 nanometers in diameter. While typically composed of several thousand atoms, all the atoms pool their electrons to “sing with one voice”, that is, the electrons are shared and coordinated as if there is only one atomic nucleus at the centre. That property enables numerous revolutionary schemes for electronic devices

What does this mean in a practical, dollars and cents, terms. It means that quantum dot revolution could be at a tipping point. If so it means the following innovations could get a boost:

Quantum information processing (quantum computing)

Better solar cells

More energy-efficient electronics

Medical markers

Improved light emitting devices

Most of these innovations address the underlying fundamentals that will pave the way to the Singularity: energy and information processing. Whether quantum dot technology promotes this type of functions, remains to be seen. But, each quantum spin of the wheel draws us closer to our destination.

This wonderful post on Broader Perspective Blog has some great predictions for 2009. Unlike financial markets, predicting the future of technology is much more certain It’s pretty exciting to look at these predictions and then come back at the end of next year and see how everything turned out.

One popular challenge with Accelerating Technology is that there is a limit at some point. For example, the size of transistors on computer chips is now 39 nm. The naysayers complain, “You can’t get too small, because there is a limit on how small a transistor on the chip can be. In a few years, they will not be able to make them any smaller.”

Although this argument is valid, it overlooks one small detail. There may be a limit to the size of a transistor, but there is no limit to human ingenuity. What has happened before, and what will happen again, is that a new paradigm or method or strategy will be developed that will replace the current technology.

In the past, there were vacuum tubes instead of transistors, and in the future we will have 3D chips or Quantum Computing , or some other technology that we may not even know about now. And, it may just be my own stupid belief, and you have to decide if you believe it or not, but I think anything is possible. What we don’t have now, we will have tomorrow. What we don’t have tomorrow we will have the following day.

All roads lead to the singularity. Enjoy the trip!

There is one small challenge, with the infinite possibility, of the singularity. It promises to give us everything that we want. But only for those in the know. If it will give you anything that you ask, what would you ask for?

Other Links

Recommended Reading

The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil is the book that started it all. If you want to know about the future, it is the best book I've found. Absolutely fascinating.

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. This is one of the most popular personal finance books of all time. A must read for anyone who wants to become financially successful.

The Millionaire's Secrets is one of my favorite financial books of all time. It's an allegory about a guy who has a terrible job, and how he overcomes challenges to achieve his dreams.

The One Minute Millionaire is a great book about how to become a millionaire. Written by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen, this book combines an inspirational story with practical everyday skills.

The Art of Learning is the fascinating story of Josh Waitzkin, the world champion in both chess and Pushing Hands. His style is mesmerizing, and the strategies for learning are priceless.

The Alchemist is one of the best-selling and most inspirational books of all time. Anyone who has ever had a dream in life needs to read it. Perhaps my favorite book of all time.

Love is the Killer App is a powerful, step-by-step book about how to have a wonderful experience and spread love in any working environment. Think the office has to be a source of bad energy? Think again.

The 4-Hour Workweek is a powerful book full of strategies about how to get more done in less time. For anyone who is looking for leverage or wants to achieve success quickly, this book is absolutely invaluable.